1 hour ago
1
For a spell every June, Hobart becomes the centre of Australia’s arts and music scene. Pilgrims from across the country don their “Tassie tuxedos” – black puffer jackets, for the uninitiated – and cross Bass Strait for the Dark Mofo festival. For years, I have been one of them.
The festival launched in 2013 as a way of drawing tourists to Tasmania’s capital in the off season, though it went on hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, and again in 2024. Over that time I’ve attended with a friend, my life partner and my kids, and have to say that the most important thing is going with someone who shares your taste in music. After all, there will be a series of late nights amid freezing temperatures.
There will also be exclusive gigs. Hobart is where I saw Black Flag’s one-off show before they toured Australia a year later, where Ethel Cain performed an intimate concert before taking on the big stadiums, and where Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and her band played their crushing art-noise in a truly special moment that wouldn’t have been the same in a big-city venue. You might even see your favourite rock stars at Mona, taking in David Walsh’s temple to modern art.
Winter is truly the best time for a trip to Hobart; sure, you need thermal layers to traipse the night-time art trails – streets, alleyways and industrial sites lit up in red neon – but that makes them all the more immersive. And some of the art is definitely designed to provoke; in 2018, Mike Parr spent three days “buried” in a steel box under Hobart’s main drag, Macquarie Street, living on water alone.
One of the program’s highlights, Night Mass – a combination of art, performance and warehouse dance party – may be more commercial than when it began, but the chance to get lost in another world makes it an annual sell-out.
Dark Mofo’s appetite for art on the fringe is what keeps people coming back. Gen X, in particular, appreciates a leather-clad, nostalgic trip to the ’90s and those seeking the darkest of metal head to the Odeon Theatre every year for a midweek line-up of bands you’d normally have to head to Norway or the UK or some dark corner of the US to see live.
But it’s not just about the music; food is also central to the program. On the waterfront is Winter Feast, where international chefs and local stars show off their culinary strength. Some of it requires an adventurous palate – deer’s blood ice-cream, anyone? – but there are more conventional offerings such as calamari and wild venison at Mona’s Heavy Metal Kitchen, a hot toddy being the ideal accompaniment.
Now, a word of warning. If you want to enjoy the best of Hobart’s food and drink during the festival, you will often need to make reservations well ahead. High on your list should be a table at Peppina, nestled in The Tasman hotel, where chef Massimo Mele serves the freshest pasta and where local produce is worshipped. Then sneak around the corner to Mary Mary for a drink in plush surrounds – the amaretto sour keeps me coming back. And go to Fico – run by Italians Federica Andrisani and Oskar Rossi, two of the country’s most exciting chefs – for a degustation menu that is worth the hysteria.
Hobart also boasts plenty of casual options. For hearty soup and coffee, visit Sunbear – a slow, wholesome spot with equally chill service that will help big-city escapees let go of instant gratification. At Sullivans Cove distillery, located a short hop from the CBD, a multimillion-dollar makeover means their new bar is the go-to destination for an afternoon of whisky tasting. (Hint: book a driver so you can enjoy both the lush interior and single malts in style.)
Of course, securing your accommodation should also be done early. I have stayed in a range of hotels over the years, from the old-school charm of Hadley’s Orient to the contemporary luxury of MACq01 and The Tasman. There’s definitely something cool about Hadley’s if you’re into 19th-century cottage-core, but who doesn’t love a large shower and great hairdryer in the lap of five-star luxury? Especially after a chilly night of dancing.
Dark Mofo runs from June 11-22.
Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter.
